This is a random personal blog - covering everything from poetry to politics. Views presented are strictly my own.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Leela Hai!

Indians have two of the most amazing survival concepts known to me. They are "Karma" and "Leela/ Maya".

Karma, simply means Action. The concept of Karma means that whatever you do, will catch up with you. Since we do believe in cyclical birth, it means that one death does not mean the end of your ledger balance, and that death is no escape. You will have to face the results of your deeds anyway.

Leela is a little better than that. It is the theory that all the world is a stage on which the Gods are playing, and all the beings are pieces in this game being played by the Gods. Maya means that everything we see, is make believe.. just as the pieces in a game get killed, win, lose, but we all know that it all amounts to nothing. Its just a game. Likewise, human beings, and all other creatures, are pieces in a cosmic game. They lose, they win, they die, and they come back on the same board. But it all amounts to nothing.

Therefore, in the middle of a crisis, personal or public, the Indians are likely to go "Sab bhagwaan ki leela hai!" meaning.. it is all a game.. what does it matter? Such profound wisdom... so easily received!

Of course, this concept of life also gives us the Hindu Rate of Growth... :-)

4 comments:

Hey, while you intentionally addressed the subject in a lighter tone, there really are on to something. Bhagavad Gita says, "Karmanye vaadhi kaaraste, maa phaleshu kadaachana" which essentially suggests detach yourself from the result of your action, not the action itself. So using the Karma or Leela as an excuse is not acceptable.

Good post.

Oh by the way, feel free to re-post the chatter's guild from my blog (a link back would be appreciated)

I liked that leela part where the play acting happens...actually that is all that happens...even gods do taht with us and we return them a favour....nice post...lets do our karma more often and leave leela for somone else...nice post by the way